Hands-on: HP unveils the Slate 500, an 8.9-inch Windows 7 tablet

After almost a year of rumors and waiting, HP’s Slate is official. As leaked, the HP Slate 500 runs Windows 7 (not webOS) and it has a Ctrl-Alt-Del button built right in. If you’ve been following the rumors then you already know a lot about the Slate 500, but what you might not know is that HP is promoting it as a business product.

HP sees the tablet market as split up into two segments–one for media consumption and one for use as a PC. The iPad is a media slate, goes HP’s reasoning, while this is a PC slate. What this means is that it runs Windows 7, it has both touch and stylus interfaces, and it can handle the requirements of a business user, like VPN and encryption. Using Windows means that it can run all the software businesses normally run, as well as the Windows images that enterprise customers like to install across all their computer systems.

On the hardware side the Slate 500 fits closely with what we expect a Windows tablet to be. This is to say that it aimed to out-do the iPad and Android tablets on both features and hardware specs… whether that matters or not is still up in the air. Ultimately, the Slate 500 is spec’d like a high-end netbook without the keyboard, not a media tablet. Unlike most computers, it will only come in one SKU.

It runs an Intel Atom Z540 processor, 2GB RAM, a 64GB SSD for storage, and Intel’s integrated GMA 500 graphics with the Broadcom HD encoder. Connectivity includes b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth, but there is no 3G option. The exterior has one USB slot, an SD card slot, a headphone jack, and hardware buttons for volume up/down, Ctrl-Alt-Del, Home (a Windows Desktop shortcut), Power, and a button to bring up the soft keyboard. There are also two cameras, a front-mounted one that shoots at VGA and then a 3MP one on the rear. It’s a rather complete package.

The tablet weighs 1.5lbs. The weight is distributed across the body so it’s balanced and easy to hold. The textured back has a rubbery grip to it which should help.

The display–a crucial feature for any tablet–is 8.9-inches and it runs at 1024×600, though HP says it will go to 1024×768 for “some applications”. It’s LED-backlit and features chemically-strengthened edge-to-edge glass. It’s not Gorilla Glass, but it’s the same glass used on the EliteBook 2540p so you know it’s tough.

The Slate has pretty nice hardware. It reminds me a lot of the iPhone 4, with the squared edges and flush glass display, but that’s not a bad thing. It has more buttons than you’d expect, but Windows 7 needs them so it’s a tough situation. There are also quirks like the pull-out tab (see the gallery) which holds the Windows and computer serial numbers. This seems is pretty ridiculous but unfortunately it is necessary.

Performance felt OK. I wasn’t expecting a miracle but it was reasonably smooth to go from portrait to landscape and the programs I opened seemed to go quickly enough. I wasn’t testing a production unit though, so it’s impossible to say conclusively (some of the units on hand didn’t even have the final processor or official specs).

The battery life will be 5 hours. The battery is not removable.

The Slate 500 will include a charging dock that has two USB slots and HDMI out. This will be a useful accessory for using the tablet on the desktop as well as charging it in between carrying sessions. A case is also included, as is the active stylus. You’ll need the case to carry the stylus because the Slate does not have a spot to insert it.

The Slate 500 goes on sale October 21st through HP.com. It will sell for $799.

Oh, were you looking for a webOS tablet? HP isn’t talking specifics, but they said something will be shipping in 2011.

Sal’s Thoughts

That was a lot to take in, but what it comes down to is that HP’s Slate is a business product aimed at all the sectors that use touch/pen entry. These include hospitality, insurance, retail, restaurants, and other businesses who just aren’t happy with clamshell laptops and want something light to use while standing. HP has a general idea as to who might want to us something like this, but the Slate will be used to test the waters. It will satisfy some clients who already have a fleet of people outfitted with HPs and prevent some businesses from going with the iPad for their tablet workforce.

Past that I think HP is simply happy to have a Windows tablet on the market for their business users and a limited number of consumers, but no one is expecting this to be a huge hit. The tablet market today is like the netbook market 2 years ago–it’s the wild west and everyone is trying to get in on the action before it’s too late. HP needed a Windows tablet and this is it, in just one SKU, so take it or leave it.

This article has gone on way too long considering this is essentially a business tablet, but I’ll say this–I don’t think HP is betting heavily on the Slate 500. They put out a reasonable product and some businesses will like it and many won’t. The price and lack of 3G data are going to deter most consumers (that it runs Windows probably won’t help either), but HP will finally have the Slate available and they’ll be able to move on to what really matters. HP’s webOS tablets will be a lot more exciting and they will be better suited to where the tablet market is heading, not where it stagnated for years.

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Speak Your Mind

I’m not a fan of apple but I’m even less of a fan of hp. You know that its going to suck. Its going to have a crapy low quality tn display with no viewing angles. Tablets are just a fad anyways

http://www.cookingschoolsintl.com Kruzon

This is my first look at at a tablet and at first glance it looks impressive.

pavell

Can HP offer me enough apps, as we know jobs has declared that there are 35,000 apps designed for ipad in itunes? I want to get this information like “Top 10 Best Free iPad Photo Apps for Download” which is done by ifunia for ipad you can get it expediently. How does HP give me “access to photos, videos and everything on the internet wiht a touch”.

HeartDisk

hmm sounds interesting i like tablets because i am a developer :P

Mike

@ Pavell,
I don’t know why you want apps for it. It is a pc with a real OS not an ipad. You can do anything you can do on a computer with it. If you want some tablet that can only run apps and not any real programs buy the ipad. If you want to use Office or any other pc program buy the hp slate. For business this is obviously the better choice.

kab

@pavell: dumb ass, as declared it is a pc not a media-oriented-tablet!

mike

@pavell- did you read the article? what business apps are you going to need from the itunes store? For us the list includes things like RSA tokens for 2 factor authentication, PGP boot encryption(or hd based if it has that,) active directory integration, word, powerpoint etc. Hence the mention of words like business. Some/most large companies have these pesky compliance laws.

Ipads and these other devices are high risk items in the business world because of their allure to thieves. Ipad does not take security seriously, check youtube for videos on how to break every pin they ever created. Good luck cracking rsa/ubikey and a good old AD. Individuals might not like Window$ but businesses do because it offers a lot of power and control that is usable by nonUbergeeks.

Try plugging a 65 inch tv in the conference room in to an ipad. You have to buy some weird cable instead of an .50 cent hdmi cable off amazon. To be fair, you can plug an ipad in, and you can show off all it’s neat games at work. At my business it labels you as someone who blows money on stupid stuff.

No cellular on the HP??? That might be a game killer for us. Might have to wait for the next rev, unless someone builds an USB aircard that doesn’t kill the battery and end up breaking off the usb port because its sticking out funny.

I am guessing in another generation we will see some really powerful tools for our standing, HIPAA compliant workforce. Apple has never, and will never take corporate security seriously. (please reference the current java exploits that will take apple 6 months to patch, linux, windows are already patched)

The specs are decent, and the battery life is good at 2.5hrs (after I get an SSD in it, I expect that to go up quite a bit).

I’ve been using it for a year now, and it’s really really good. I much prefer the pen to a touchscreen, as I hate trying to read through a thick pile of finger grease :P The fold down, snap-on keyboard is really amazing, too. Put Win7 on it isntead of XP, and it *flies*. It does very well with Ubuntu, too.